nookomis
The Ojibwe word for grandmother is nookomis.
nookomis refers to the mother of someone's parent.
Meaning: mother of someone's parent (noun)
Which one should you use?
While nookomis is the standard term, Kokom is an informal variation used to refer to a grandmother.
Did you know?
- In Ojibwe culture, the term nookomis often extends beyond biological grandmothers to include female elders and respected female mentors in the community.
- Because Ojibwe is a polysynthetic language, the root for 'grandmother' can be combined with other morphemes to describe specific family dynamics within a single long word.
- In traditional Ojibwe kinship systems, the role of the nookomis is central to passing down oral histories and the complex rules of the clan system.
Examples in context
- Boozhoo, Kokom!Hello, Grandma!
- Boozhoo, Nookomis!Hello, Grandmother!
- Nookomis nindaan'endam.I love my grandmother.
- Aaniin, nookomis?How are you, grandmother?
Example conversation
Zhaawan is visiting his grandmother's house.
- OmaBoozhoo, Zhaawan!Hello, Zhaawan!
- ZhaawanBoozhoo, nookomis.Hello, my grandmother.
- OmaAaniin ezhinikaazoyin?How are you doing?
- ZhaawanNimino-wiyaayi, nookomis.I am doing well, grandmother.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “grandmother” translations and entries nookomis, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
